Big Issues With Halo Anniversary OST

Games Other Halo
1

Well the title says it all people. I just listened to the whole remade OST, and I am very disappointed. Here’s why:

A lot of the songs seem to have some mess-ups in them. Which is a damn shame cause there ARE some good re-recordings on here. However the classics have some mess ups that really…turn you off.

They also re-named a lot of pieces which I normally wouldn’t mind, however they are all out of order and not identical to the order in the original halo soundtrack. They made some parts of suites into individual songs.

They mess up a few big and noticeable parts on the Halo theme. It’s almost as if the director didn’t listen to the original tempo. The notes seem choppy, some of WAY off from the original, which leave a sour taste in your mouth.

Again there ARE some really good remakes in here. It’s just a shame they messed up some really noticeable parts.

Now if these were supposed to be renditions of the original and not be identical that would be one thing. However these were supposed to be “remastered” like the game, fresh sound, same music. Unfortunately they do not hit it on the head like they did with game-play. You are sometimes left with an awkward arrangement that just makes you say to yourself “what the hell is this?”.

Lastly, there are a lot of songs on the OST that are NOT in the game…and are very…strange…and confusing…

So to sum it up:

They were supposed to make the music identical but with a fresh sound, but what we are left with is some songs that are so obviously not how it was originally written. It’s a darn shame, and I’m not a troll, I love music, and am just giving an honest critique. Please listen to the OST before passing judgement.

Here are some of the pieces I’m talking about:

The Halo theme, starts good, notice that the strings are choppier than the original. Also at about 1:25- 1:33 the strings go into something that is 100% NOT the original, and leaves a weird feeling; this happens yet again at 1:50-1:56. At 2:49-2:52 the note it ends on when the music slopes down is off and awkward, there was a reason Marty had written it the way he did… Now I have to say, for some reason Marty seems to be the only one that can get the theme correct; and all other renditions of it seem to flop and sound horrible. This is the best non-Marty rendition that has ever been recorded (there a complement); but it has its issues.

This song again starts good, but takes a turn for the worst. At about 0:21 seconds the song is riddled with a bunch of awkward pauses that…just feel…awkward :P.

There are many other pieces in the OST with these issues, these were just a couple examples.

Thoughts?

2

The first example you listed was poor. It’s not a matter of the composer trying to butcher the original soundtrack. The team was simply adding a unique twist to it that doesn’t derive from the fact that the music is awe-inspiring. I’m not a fan of what you listed in the second one either, but it really isn’t much of a deal.

3

> The first example you listed was poor. It’s not a matter of the composer trying to butcher the original soundtrack. The team was simply adding a unique twist to it that doesn’t derive from the fact that the music is awe-inspiring. I’m not a fan of what you listed in the second one either, but it really isn’t much of a deal.

I never said they were butchering it, they just for some reason change something that doesn’t need to be altered. Those changes then make for a uncomfortable feeling when listening to the music.

I think it is a big deal, not that I’m crying over it or anything. However I’m just disappointed that they altered a piece of music in an unflattering way, compared to the original.

4

All I know is the new music for Halo: CEA really sounds bad, I don’t like it one bit. I hope this is not happening with Halo 4

5

Well your opinion, but I love it.

6

> Well your opinion, but I love it.

Like I said there are some really great sounding tracks. However there is more bad than good. Hey I’ll still listen to the tracks on my Ipod (though I’ll skip quite a few); I’m just pointing out some large flaws.

7

My only problem with the new soundtrack is that it was rather unnecessary. If you have the Halo 3 sound track there is a good chuck of CE’s soundtrack in there. But outside of that, I have not heard anything that makes me dislike the new soundtrack.

8

I had the same exact feelings when I was listening through the remastered main theme and “the maw” intro remake. I don’t like how staccato (aka “choppy” as you have been calling it) they are - it definitely feels uncomfortable when listening to it, like a sense of anticipation for those missing notes to be there when they aren’t. I just feel like it was an unnecessary move to compose them that way, especially when both of those tunes are staples in the halo soundtrack.

I was really impressed with a lot of the other songs though (the Brothers in Arms and Under the Cover of Night remakes sound fantastic!)

9

The dissonance really does mess up the track quite a bit, you are right. I am cringing on what the remastered rock anthem will sound like.

Thankfully I heard you can always just switch to the original music tracks, so it isn’t a deal breaker to me and I will still get the game… When I actually can get it.

10

> The dissonance really does mess up the track quite a bit, you are right. I am cringing on what the remastered rock anthem will sound like.
>
> Thankfully I heard you can always just switch to the original music tracks, so it isn’t a deal breaker to me and I will still get the game… When I actually can get it.

the solo to the rock anthem isn’t very memorable - it’s in the same key, but it sounds like just your generic runs that are in the essence of the original. but the drums sound incredible and the entire rhythmic section of the song is soooo tight sounding that it somewhat makes up for it.

the original solo still complete kicks the newer version’s -Yoink-, no questions asked whatsoever.

11

> I was really impressed with a lot of the other songs though (the Brothers in Arms and Under the Cover of Night remakes sound fantastic!)

Totally agree!

12

Wow, I actually completely get what your saying, the notes are far more detached. It does sound a little “awkward”. That being said, I absolutely love some of the percussion rerecords.

13

> Wow, I actually completely get what your saying, the notes are far more detached. It does sound a little “awkward”. That being said, I absolutely love some of the percussion rerecords.

Like I said it’s not all bad, but it’s enough to make it irritable.